Crew Available: What do I bring as Crew?

[hamburking]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

No one has mentioned a LED headlamp, one with red as well as white lights... and maybe a spare set of AAAs for it. I find them essential, but I've got old eyes that don't work as well at night as they used to.

And damn few boats have room for crews guitars... it's a struggle to find a place for my own ax and we are only two up on a 46 footer!

Jim

A small, dim, pocket LED light is great for night watches. I buy cheap, single AA lights on ebay, and distribute to the whole crew. When crossing the atlantic, all our "expensive" flashlights failed, and we were left scrambling for lights on night watches.

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

And damn few boats have room for crews guitars... it's a struggle to find a place for my own ax and we are only two up on a 46 footer!

Jim

...Yeah, I was thinking about 50'+ there...
... but, have you cleaned out your boat lately??

[Suijin]

When I’m taking a trip OPB I take two bags; a medium mesh duffel with sea gear and a 40 litre waterproof duffel for everything else. If it does not fit in the duffel it does not come. I like duffel with a horizontal zip because then I can leave most everything in it during the trip.

If someone showed up to my boat with a wheeled duffel I’d have second thoughts about taking them along.

What I bring is contextual to the trip. Sea boots? Not if the weather and water is warm. Etc.

A few things (I think) not yet mentioned:

- Headlamp with red light. Petzl makes small lightweight ones where you don’t have to cycle through white to get to red.

- Your own durable travel mug

- A small net bag for your laundry

- iPad if your smart phone is too small to keep you entertained

- A roll of duct tape. Trust me on this one...

- A good quality long-sleeved white sunshirt. Or two. Beats heat stroke.

- A microfiber camping towel. Takes up tiny space and dries near instantly.

- In summer or tropics a wide brimmed, Bonnie style hat but breathable. Keeps sun mostly off your ears and neck.

If someone brings an instrument on board they better be pretty @&$# good with it. No one likes to listen to someone learning to play, trust me.

Ukuleles lol. Even Jimmy Page can’t make one sound good. Just...no.

[George DuBose]

This is a list of my suggestions that I send to every potential crew. A lot of the list came from a book by Don Street.

You probably don't need to be told what to bring, but I am attaching
some text from a book
I wrote about renovating my boat that you might give a quick look.


Excerpt from "Renovate a Sailboat and Cross the Atlantic" (most of this
is related to a crossing of the North Atlantic)

A good crew knows what to pack:

• Soft vinyl waterproof duffel bag with no wheels. Wheels leave marks
on hull liners and cabin soles. Ortlieb or Northface make good dry
sacks.

• Personal life jacket or vest, one that is inflatable and has a crotch
strap and harness built-in. A personal strobe light, small personal
EPIRB, a loud whistle are good things to attach to the life vest. Check
with your airline about flying with a gas cartridge for your life
jacket.

• Sleeping bag with cotton insert I recommend a full-size sleeping bag,
not a mummy sack. Coleman makes different models of sleeping bags that
can keep one warm down to -30F. A flat cotton bed sheet sewn on three
sides, leaving one end open can be used for an insert for more comfort
and it is easier to remove the cotton insert and wash it, than to wash
the complete sleeping bag.

• Pillow (feather pillows can be compacted more than a Hollofill pillow)

• Unbleached wool socks (US Navy issue socks can be found online from
army surplus suppliers for around $6 a pair)

• Silk long underwear and undershirt, one can also use merino or alpaca
wool which is quite soft and doesn’t itch) silk and wool are warm when
wet

• Heavy weight wool sweater (US Navy issue mock turtleneck sweaters are
great, but any thick wool sweater will suffice)

• Heavy weight wool pants (German army battle trousers with dacron from
the front of the upper thigh to below the knee are less than $40 and
suitable for cold weather when there isn’t too much water on deck)

• Silk scarf for neck (white aviator’s scarves can be found on the
internet for around $25)

• Wool watch cap or warm hat of your choice (US Navy watch caps itch
but they don’t blow off in a strong wind and there are merino or
cashmere watch caps available

• Foul weather jacket (this is no place to pinch pennies). Henri Lloyd,
Musto make top of the line gear with features that make the investment
worthwhile. Foul weather pants (see above - consider a pair with a
unzippable fly. Having to remove all your gear just to have a pee is a
real nuisance )

• Sea boots (DuBarry or Musto make Gortex and leather boots that while
they are pricey, they are more comfortable than all rubber boots. I do
wear white shrimper’s boots, which are white because they are cooler
to
wear in the hot sun on a hot deck. They also don’t leave black marks
on the boat’s deck. They are also called butcher’s boots.

• Deck shoes for when the weather is warm and dry. Not to be worn on
land, street shoes not to be worn aboard

• Several cotton underpants, several cotton undershirts

• Large rubber gloves with wool gloves as liners. (wool dries quickly
and is warm when wet) This is the best system to keep your hands dry
and warm. I haven’t found any really waterproof sailing gloves

• Two pairs of eyeglasses if needed for distance or chart reading

• Two pairs of sunglasses

• Some kind of retainer attachment method for glasses

• Seasickness meds of your choice, even if you don’t think you get
seasick, one should have some along anyway. Scopalomine patches are
best for most sailors, but one who is susceptible to seasickness should
experiment with different compounds or other techniques to avoid this
annoying problem.

• Headlamp for night reading

• A personal hand-held GPS

• Folding knife with locking blade, best is an automatic knife with a
serrated blade for cutting lines.
• Personal music player with headphones

• Eyeshades and earplugs

• Keeping all your kit IN your bag at all times and not leaving dirty
socks lying around the cabin makes one a desirable crewmate. Often, I
tell the crew that stray or roaming personal items will be confiscated
and auctioned to the highest bidder at the end of the cruise. Proceeds
going to the fuel kitty.

• Personal hygiene: package of butt wipes for washing feet, etc. Soap
and shampoo, not all marinas supply these items for their guests,
personal hygiene is important for the comfort of all.

Note: for older sailors suffering from prostate issues, various
seasickness meds can severely aggravate the problem, completely
preventing one from peeing. I have added two Foley catheters to my
medicine kit and if one isn’t sure that a catheter will be available,
one can bring some of one’s own.

If you carry an umbrella, it usually won’t rain.

[grantmc]

My list is similar to what others have mentioned but I’d also include a couple of pairs of sunglasses. They’re so easy to lose.

I always carry several cheap tiny torches that I have in various pockets so that I can always find them. I hate people wearing head torches as in my experience most people are not careful where they shine them.

A pack of wet wipes.
Sleeping bag with liner.
A box or two of chocolates/lollies to add to the boat’s food kitty.
Some snacks for self on night watches.
Drink bottle.
A waterproof watch to wake self for watches and to know time.
Head phones and phone with some down loaded music, pod casts etc.
Minimal clothing.
Pack your gear/clothing etc in ziplock plastic bags in case your bag finds itself in water.
A pack of cards, maybe some board games (travel size).
Sun tan lotion and especially your preference of sea sickness medication.

Obviously what you take depends on the type of trip, boat size, number of crew and whether you’re going to have stops. Talk to the skipper and ask.

I remember a guy turning up for a trip with a full set of dive gear (with tanks etc), spear gun and a couple of hunting rifles and his guitar (which he played very well I have to admit). But there were four of us on a 30 foot boat and his stuff was everywhere you turned. At the end of the trip, apart from the guitar he’d never used any of it.

[Snore]

As a former long distance adventure racer I will share one thing—- “cotton kills”.

Aside from briefs everything else should be a performance fabric or wool.

[Maka]

Work out what to bring with the Captain of the boat you are crewing on before you join them. Every boat, destination and conditions will be different.
Even check 1st before gifting. For instance I have all the paper charts as well as plotter charts,,,, bringing a paper chart will be a waste of time and expense on your part.



Interested in crewing in the PNW? Let me know.

[Larry Florida]

Originally Posted by Scow Hound

Brings up another question? Does anyone crew consistently enough to forego keeping/paying for, a crash pad/home base? (Friends have offered short term crash, so I can follow my dreams, but Meh...) Maybe keep a trailer at some run down campground on the Gulf? Ideas?

You would really have to be a seat of the pants type person to make than work. Where would you plan to reside once the crew arrives at the destination?

You can have a modest boat for similar expense to a trailer and campsite fee. Can crew also.

[Mithril Bham]

Whatever fits in a medium sized seabag.
Definitely no guitar.
knife and flashlight. Maybe reading light.
Lots of guns. LOL.

[MLOI]

Originally Posted by Snore

Aside from briefs everything else should be a performance fabric or wool.

You clearly need to experience the joy that is merino boxer shorts when sitting on a wet rail for a couple of days.

Cotton is for handkerchiefs.

Mike

[Time2Go]

[QUOTE=Suijin;2693236]

If someone showed up to my boat with a wheeled duffel I’d have second thoughts about taking them along.

Don’t know about this Suijin,
I’ve travelled internationally to meet up with boats
I limit myself to 1 40 pound bag for everything
and it’s a rolling foldable sea bag.
Carrying a 40 pound bag through airports,
bus terminals and train stations gets old real quick
not yet mentioned is
a good small
alarm clock to wake you up on time for your watch
and to lend to the crew who is on directly after you
Cheers
Neil

[jmschmidt]

Money and Beer.

[philiosophy]

One reasonable sized duffel bag with wheels is fine. Bring a good attitudeand willingness to take orders. If you have some electrical or mechanical skills thats good too.

[George DuBose]

Duffel bags with wheels leave marks on the hull liner and bulkheads. If one can't carry one's own seabag, one is carrying too much gear.

[tejeda]

Volunteers only and share in expenses.
Need 1/2 person(s) for 6 to 10 days approximately to go from Cape Coral, Fl. to northern Florida to Texas border. I use a meteorologist who advises sailors. Leave as soon as I get suitable crew. Off course we wait for weather 1st.
Respond only if interested.